Children’s Author/Illustrator Bonnie Christensen Returns to Barton For Book Signing

WILSON, N.C. — Acclaimed children’s author and illustrator Bonnie Christensen will return to Barton’s campus on Tuesday, Dec. 4, for a special book signing sponsored by the Barton College Friends of Hackney Library. The book signing will be held from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. in the library. Books will be available for purchase at the book signing. There is no charge for the event, and the community is invited to attend.

This is the second book signing on campus for Christensen who held her first signing for her award-winning book “Django” in December 2009.

Since that time, Christensen has published four more children’s books, including “Fabulous!: A Portrait of Andy Warhol” (2011, which received starred reviews from Booklist and School Library Journal), “The Princess of Borscht” (2011; written by Leda Schubert and illustrated by Christensen, it received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews), “Plant a Little Seed” (April 2012; Booklist calls the book “a quiet yet engaging presentation that is sure to inspire gardening attempts by young readers”), and her latest, “I, Galileo” (released June 12, 2012; critics are already calling its illustrations “exquisite,” “vivid,” and “vibrant,” with first person narrative that “flows beautifully” and “renders the text both engaging and accessible”).

Christensen began her career working in New York theatre after earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Communication from the University of Vermont. Her theatre work included Joe Papp’s Public Theatre, New York Shakespeare Festival, and others. Christensen eventually focused primarily on playwriting, and some of her plays were produced off-off-Broadway. During this time, she also worked for Screen Actors Guild and Paramount Pictures.

After studying wood engraving and attending classes at Parsons School of Design and Center for Book Arts, Christensen returned to Vermont to focus on wood engraving and was offered her first illustration work. As she explained her eventual emergence as a book author and illustrator, she shared, “Through a keen interest in printmaking and letterpress printing, I eventually hand-printed and bound a limited-edition book. Desire to see that book reach a wider audience eventually led me to trade publishers and initiated my career.” (Excerpt from “Something About the Author” vol. 110, p. 41)

Christensen authored and illustrated her first book for children in 1994, an ABC book called “An Edible Alphabet,” which received critical acclaim for its design and illustrations. In addition to those mentioned above, other books she has both written and illustrated include “Rebus Riot” (1997), “Woody Guthrie: Poet of the People” (2001), “In My Grandmother’s House” (2003), and “The Daring Nellie Bly” (2003). Christensen has also illustrated others’ works, including award winners such as Stephen Krensky’s “Breaking Into Print” (1996), “Craig Crist Evan’s Moon Over Tennessee” (1999), Mary Pope Osborne’s “Pompeii, Lost and Found” (2006), as well as the acclaimed “The Princess of Borscht,” mentioned above.

In addition to her books, she has contributed to periodicals such as “Vermont Life,” “National Gardening,” and “Ladybug” and served as adjunct professor of Fine Arts at St. Michaels’ College in Burlington, Vt. Christensen currently resides in Wilson.

For additional information about this program, contact George Loveland, director of Hackney Library, at 252-399-6501 or gwloveland@barton.edu.